Warren Mackey disappointed about party at home

Warren Mackey disappointed about party at home

October 18th, 2012by Kate Belz in Local Regional News

Warren Mackey of Chattanooga

Warren Mackey of Chattanooga

Photo by
Contributed Photo
/Times Free Press.

Hamilton County Commissioner Warren Mackey said he is "extremely disappointed" by a recent incident in which two teens were arrested and several juveniles detained at a party his grandson threw at Mackey's house while the commissioner and his wife were out of town.

"He should have known better," Mackey said. "We are very disappointed. ... We're hoping he will find better judgment through this and that he'll use that in the future."

According to an arrest report of the Friday incident, a Chattanooga police officer was at a Bi-Lo on Highway 58 when he saw William Baskette and Nathaniel Jackson, both 19, walking out of the store with beer without paying for it. When he told them to stop, the two teens jumped into a car and drove off.

Police traced the car - which was Mackey's - to the commissioner's house on Murray Hills Road, where they found nine juveniles and four adults under the age of 21 trying to hide or flee the house, the report states. Police said they later found that Baskette had a small amount of marijuana.

Both Baskette and Jackson have been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, drinking under age, theft of property, and resisting arrest.

In the presence of their parents, several juveniles admitted to drinking in the house, the report states, but none of the other attendants, including Mackey's grandson, at the party were arrested.

Mackey said his 19-year-old grandson, Josh Mackey, had given the keys to Mackey's car to Baskette and Jackson so they could go to the grocery store.

Mackey said he and his wife returned home after being contacted about the incident.

"As an elected official, I understand I have to be held accountable to the public for situations like this," he said. "And we are definitely dealing with [it] in our household as well."